SDLP and Sinn Fein. Surely an electoral pact would make sense

[dodgy umpire]

Who gives a fcuk about returning people to Westminster? It''s nothing but a soft retirement plan for career politicians like Mark Durkan and Eddie McGrady. At least let them fight for their pension plans.

The who do SF run in the Westminster elections at all? Why do they spend significant resource on such elections?
If it's just for 'career politicians', why not give the SDLP a free run?

a free run to do what?? they had a free run for years and were content with the status quo.

How do you work that one out?

they are yes men, do what they are bid and take their handout like good wee boys.

I see you're well equipped for a mature debate.

were you actually serious with your free run comment, i took it to be in obvious jest? why would sf give a helping hand to their pollitical opponents, would it not be best for nationalism for the sdlp to disband completly and give sf a free run, is there really a need for the sdlp anymore?

There will always be a place for the SDLP as there is a sizeable amount of the population who will never ever vote for murderers or those who colluded with them

thats an amount that is getting less and less with each election. the people have spoken. move on gentlemen, the place for you now is whinging on the sidelines. you have had your chance, you failed. accept it. as for the murderers quip, wise up ffs. Are Irishmen not entitled to take up arms when being burnt out of our houses and interned in our thousands. thats the exact sort of comment that just sums of the sdlp mentality. you are a disgrace to your county ardmhachaabu.

Irishmen are entitled to defend themselves and their families, but they are not entitled to attack people by firebombing their homes in the middle of the night or by placing bombs under cars in the middle of the night

Who are you referring to?

[ardmhachaabu]

Work it out for yourself

[Nally Stand]

And if it wasn't for the armed campaign the british government would not have sat and talked ardmhaca. Your post on the need for the SDLP typifies what I have said before about them. They have no vision and no reason for their existance other than to throw abuse at SF. They are a confused party.

[ardmhachaabu]

And if it wasn't for the armed campaign the british government would not have sat and talked ardmhaca. Your post on the need for the SDLP typifies what I have said before about them. They have no vision and no reason for their existance other than to throw abuse at SF. They are a confused party.

You are a confused person nally if you think the shinners are right in everything which is what you seem to do, so for you to criticise the SDLP when they have stood upo to SF all through the years

[T Fearon]

I don't care who wins elections as long as isn't unionists of any hue.

[Nally Stand]

I'm not confused in the slightest. The SDLP can't even decide if they're nationalist or post nationalist ffs. And when SF proposed in 13 councils that these councils press the Dublin Govn to be more proactive in developing All Ireland strategies, only two got full SDLP support, the rest either got a split SDLP vote, SDLP members abstaining, SDLP refusing to attend etc. How is that not confusion??

[Maguire01]

would it not be best for nationalism for the sdlp to disband completly and give sf a free run, is there really a need for the sdlp anymore?

What an idiotic comment.
Regardless of your opinion, the SDLP represent 15/16% of the population here (roughly the same as SF in 1997) and 40% of the Nationalist vote. That's 40% that doesn't want to vote for SF (and a significant proportion of those who wouldn't vote for SF even if the SDLP did disband). It's called democracy. Clearly there is a need.

And if you don't understand the implications of discounting / not respecting the place of minorities, you probably shouldn't be discussing northern politics at all.

[Maguire01]

They have no vision and no reason for their existance other than to throw abuse at SF. They are a confused party.

A lot of people disagree.

[Nally Stand]

A lot of people disagree? So what? Search the world and i'm sure you'll find people that think the earth's flat. You also suggest the SDLP would want nothing to do with SF. Ever think of it the other way round? Why would SF want to be associated with a dying party, who define themselves as Post Nationalist, and who are as confused about what they are about as my last post demonstrates?

[Maguire01]

A lot of people disagree? So what? Search the world and i'm sure you'll find people that think the earth's flat. You also suggest the SDLP would want nothing to do with SF. Ever think of it the other way round? Why would SF want to be associated with a dying party, who define themselves as Post Nationalist, and who are as confused about what they are about as my last post demonstrates?

I suggested that a proportion of the SDLP's voters would never vote for SF. Although i'd imagine the party would be in a similar position. And I never suggested that SF and/or their voters wouldn't feel the same way. But this thread was started by someone on the SF side of the fence.

[Nally Stand]

Fair enough, just saying it as I see it

[dodgy umpire]

Work it out for yourself

No, you said that Sinn Fein elected politicians were murderers, and i think it is only fair you tell us who you are referring to. Or did you just mean they all are?

[charlieTully]

would it not be best for nationalism for the sdlp to disband completly and give sf a free run, is there really a need for the sdlp anymore?

What an idiotic comment.
Regardless of your opinion, the SDLP represent 15/16% of the population here (roughly the same as SF in 1997) and 40% of the Nationalist vote. That's 40% that doesn't want to vote for SF (and a significant proportion of those who wouldn't vote for SF even if the SDLP did disband). It's called democracy. Clearly there is a need.

And if you don't understand the implications of discounting / not respecting the place of minorities, you probably shouldn't be discussing northern politics at all.

it was as idioitic as the post i replied to saying sf should stand aside and give the sdlp a free run at westminster elections. read the whole thing you dick before you start your slabbering.

[Maguire01]

would it not be best for nationalism for the sdlp to disband completly and give sf a free run, is there really a need for the sdlp anymore?

What an idiotic comment.
Regardless of your opinion, the SDLP represent 15/16% of the population here (roughly the same as SF in 1997) and 40% of the Nationalist vote. That's 40% that doesn't want to vote for SF (and a significant proportion of those who wouldn't vote for SF even if the SDLP did disband). It's called democracy. Clearly there is a need.

And if you don't understand the implications of discounting / not respecting the place of minorities, you probably shouldn't be discussing northern politics at all.

it was as idioitic as the post i replied to saying sf should stand aside and give the sdlp a free run at westminster elections. read the whole thing you dick before you start your slabbering.

Do keep up (and "read the whole thing"). My ref to SF standing aside was inspired by Ulick's post about the Westminster elections:

Who gives a fcuk about returning people to Westminster? It''s nothing but a soft retirement plan for career politicians like Mark Durkan and Eddie McGrady.

And once you've resorted to name-calling, you've lost the argument.

[Ulick]

And once you've resorted to name-calling, you've lost the argument.

Who's name calling? I'm just stating fact as illustrated by Durkan's pathetic retirement last weekend. Only he isn't retiring he's going to continue with his soft Westminster job, continue to pick his pay cheque plus expenses for doing next to fcuk all. All the while knowing fine well if he really want to do something for his constituency the real work is to be done closer to home. Same goes for the invisible McGrady and his plush hotel suites.